Never My Soul
by Kahva
Summary: COMPLETE. Non-slash. A companion piece to Shatter Me Not. Aragorn faces temptation during the Quest.


**_Disclaimer:_** You're gonna make me say it, aren't you? Sigh... Oh very well. I own nothing of Tolkien's, New Line's, or of Peter Jackson's. I don't own Legolas, but Ivy Tanté and I DO share an elven harem of muses... Or rather, they share us. It's complicated; don't try to figure it out, please. I don't want you to hurt yourselves. Also, I'm just a poor, overworked and underpaid state employee, so please, please, PLEASE don't sue! I have no money. Rated PG. October 2003. 

**_Author's notes:_** Though I believe this fic can be read alone, it is a companion piece to my fic "Shatter Me Not". Many thanks to those who reviewed Shatter; I have never received such a wonderful response to anything I have written on my own, or with anyone else. I can only hope that you will all enjoy this little fic half as much. Thanks again!!  


NEVER MY SOUL 

BY 

KAHVA  


_Elessar..._

Get out of my mind, Bane. 

_Elessar..._

I said get out of my mind!! 

I know what you would have me do. I saw how you tempted Legolas, though he has yet to speak of his ordeal to anyone, much less admit to the pain that you undoubtedly caused. How much you must surely have tormented him... 

Tortured him, you did. Yes, I saw what you did to him. I don't _know_ what you did, but I _saw_ what you did. You invaded his mind, tried to twist his soul... Did you wish to defile his body and soul with your malevolent touch? You would have delighted in the drinking of his _fëa_, wouldn't you? Are the pure spirits of the elves like _miruvóre_ to you? 

Is that why your Master's despicable Orcs yearn to taste the flesh of Elves more than that of any other being in Arda? Is that why they wish to slake their terrible thirst with the lifeblood of the Firstborn? It is not just that once, long ago, their forebears had been Elves? Pure, happy and bright creatures they were, until your Master tortured and mutilated their beautiful, perfect bodies and souls into hideous blasphemies of Ilúvatar's creation. 

They have inherited your Master's lust for blood and power. Those disgusting spawns of evil mindlessly follow their obscene father, like naïve, trusting, unquestioning sons and daughters, never once realizing that he cares not whether they live or die. Their deaths mean naught to him, so long as he has followers, servants and slaves to replace each one that falls. Beings that by choice, or by force, will carry out his orders without a moment's hesitation. 

Just as you yourself obey his every dark whim, Isildur's Bane. You are just as much his slave as any poor wretch imprisoned deep within the bowels of Barad-Dûr. 

Unlike those poor souls, however, you do not deserve pity or compassion from anyone. 

Yes, I know what you would have me do. I can feel your power tempting me. You are just like your Master, though you would have me believe otherwise. Part of him is bound within you, which is why he is still alive, and why he seeks to reclaim you. He desires to regain his physical form; he desires domination over all of Arda. He seeks to subjugate all of Ilúvatar's children, Firstborn, Secondborn - all of Ilúvatar's children, and all of the innocent creatures that live here. 

He desires to bathe this world in our blood. He seeks to unleash an unholy flood of death and chaos both here and then in Valinor, if he can. 

He wishes for Ilúvatar to drown in the blood of his beloved children, to suffocate from the weight of their pain and anguish. 

You desire this as well. Do not even try to deny it! 

You cannot deny it. 

You are a part of him... therefore all your desires are his, and his alone are yours. This is reason enough in itself to not hearken to your perverse call. 

But you have gone too far. Oh, my dark and cruel friend, you have gone _too far_!! 

You promise me that Arwen will never die, even if she forsakes her Elven heritage to cleave unto me. You promise me that my brothers, Elladan and Elrohir will not be harmed by any minion of Sauron's who may come upon them. You promise me that the brother of my heart, Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, shall never hear the call to sail. You swear that he shall forever remain happy and carefree, never torn between this world and the Undying Lands. 

You promise me that all of Arda shall be peaceful under my rule, and the rule of my sons. You promise me sons, yet no daughters? Do you think a true father would love a daughter less than a son? I would like to see you try and convince Lord Elrond of that. 

_Ada... Ai_, but that is the cruelest promise of all with which you seek to tempt me. You promise me that he will approve of the union between Arwen and myself _without reservation_. You seek to pervert the relationship that we have had all these years, the bond of family chosen, the ties of distant relation between Elf and Man... 

The love between a father and his son. 

The love of a father for his only daughter. He seeks to protect her from strife, grief and pain in the only way he knows how, and you wish to sully that precious love?! 

Oh, now you seek to seduce me with the promise that none shall come to harm on our quest, if I will only listen to your council. You seek to sway me with a thinly veiled threat against our Fellowship! Do you think I place so little faith in the abilities of my fellows to protect themselves and each other? 

Do you think I believe for a single solitary moment that you would keep any of them safe from harm? 

Do you think I actually believe that you will keep any vow you make in this attempt at seduction, save for your unspoken promise of a cold, agonizing death to all who dare to hold a light to Sauron's darkness? 

Do not try to tempt me with promises of absolute power... I do not desire this power, I have never desired it. Absolute power is no vice of mine. 

You would do well to remember that, my silver-tongued friend. 

You clothe yourself in the provocative silks of domination, control, power... 

You prostitute yourself to me in vain, One Ring of Power. Strip off your sheep's disguise and reveal yourself for the rabid wolf you truly are. 

Your words taste of wine and honey. 

Your words are _poison_! 

I am Estel, son of Lord Elrond. I am the brother of Elladan and Elrohir Elrondion. I am he whose heart belongs to Arwen, the Evenstar. I am brother of the soul to Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood. I am Thorongil. I am Strider, Ranger of the North. I am he that shall be Elessar. My house shall be known as Telcontar, should I choose to take the destiny I was born to. I am one of the Fellowship of the Ring, one of the Nine Companions. 

I am many things to many people... but I am _not_ Isildur. _Never_ doubt or forget this fact, One Ring of Sauron. 

I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn... and though it may claim my life, you shall never have my soul, Isildur's Bane. I name you Harlot of Sauron, and I banish you from my heart forever. I am loyal to Frodo the Ringbearer, to my friends and companions, my family, my people, both Elf-kind and Man, and to the Quest. 

You have no power over me.  


_Ada - Father, or Daddy  
Ai - Ah! or Alas!  
miruvóre - mead, a special wine or cordial, literally: drink of the Valar  
fëa - spirit_  



End file.
